Two Things You Can Do to Be More Accountable

People tell me that they struggle with holding themselves accountable. As someone who usually works out solo, I can tell you that I definitely struggle with this too.

I actually have no problem showing up and following the plan laid out by my coaches. Where I struggle is in the execution — with no one there to watch me and push me, I don’t always put in the effort I’m capable of. And I know it.

And while it gets me out of the temporary suck of giving everything I’ve got to the workout, it really doesn’t feel good to walk away knowing that I’ve half-assed it.

But here’s the thing ya’ll. Accountability isn’t something you have or you don’t. It’s a learned skill. You develop it through practice. When you commit to something, you have to decide to see it through. So like most things in life, it’s forged in the small decisions and tasks you do every day.

As I’ve said many times, success is created in the minutia.

So for today’s #TwoThingsTuesday, I’m sharing the two simple things that I do every day to ensure that I’m practicing accountability.

(1) Create small rituals and routines that you do no matter what. Give yourself something simple to practice every day … and then make damn sure that you do it. Every. Single. Day. Do it when you’re tired and you’d rather not. Do it when you have other things to do. Do it when you don’t think you have time. Get used to keeping your commitment to yourself. I mean, if you can’t do it on the little things, how can you realistically expect to do it with the big stuff? Practice so you develop the grit to do the right thing when it really counts.

(2) Call yourself out on your own BS. Learn to catch yourself whining, complaining, or making excuses. Be brutally honest with yourself about what you have some control over and what you really don’t. Practice finding solutions, not distractions. Stop comparing yourself to other people and assuming they just have it easier/better than you. And the next time you catch yourself saying “I’m too old”, “I’m not good enough”, “I just have a slow metabolism”, or “I don’t have time”, just freaking stop. It’s all BS. Call yourself on it.